CH616831A5 - - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a process for refining tobacco masses and the products produced by this process.

In the manufacture of tobacco products such as smoking, snuff, and chewing tobacco, it is known to taste and flavor using various natural or synthetic additives that have a desired flavor or taste, or a desired taste or flavor when consumed create the desired aroma, intensify. This reinforcement is referred to below as refinement and a correspondingly treated tobacco as refined tobacco.

It has been proposed to obtain aroma substances from tobacco by fermenting parts of the tobacco plant with an alcohol-producing yeast, to pass the gases formed during the fermentation through an activated carbon bed and to desorb the aroma substances absorbed and adsorbed on the activated carbon bed. According to this earlier proposal, it was not stated what the product obtained should be used for, but it is believed that such products can be used to refine tobacco.

Starting from a process for refining tobacco masses, in which a different tobacco sample is fermented in an aqueous medium which has been mixed with a carbohydrate and a yeast which forms an alcohol, the invention proposes that material be obtained from the fermentation liquid medium used to refine tobacco masses.

The liquid obtained can be used as the appropriate material itself - if appropriate after appropriate cleaning - or an extract prepared from the liquid.

The extract can be prepared by liquid-liquid extraction using an appropriate solvent that is immiscible with water, or using a stripping column.

A sugar such as sucrose, glucose or fructose is preferably used as the carbohydrate. The solution is generally brought to a sugar concentration of 15 to 25% by weight. The amount of tobacco added is chosen so that a porridge is formed which can be handled with the pump devices available.

Depending on the origin of the sugar, it can also release additional flavoring substances into the refined tobacco. When using maple sugar, the liquid obtained has a specific maple aroma. When using molasses, a special molasses aroma is transferred to the tobacco.

For example

In a number of experiments, 10 kg of different tobacco samples are mixed with 100 liters of a 20% sugar solution to form an easy-to-handle and pumpable paste. 25 g of dry yeast mixed with 1 liter of water are added to this porridge. In different experiments, the yeasts Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and Saccharomyces Gerevisiae var. Beticus are examined with similar results.

The fermentation is carried out at room temperature or, if it is too low, at temperatures of 18 to 25 ° C.

After the fermentation is complete, the slurry is filtered off, giving the desired liquid. In some experiments, the liquid obtained is centrifuged to remove any suspended particles that have passed through the filter.

These studies are performed on a number of tobacco samples, such as Virginia tobacco, Oriental tobacco, Burley tobacco, air-dried tobacco, cigar tobacco, Java tobacco, French tobacco, Brazilian tobacco and green tobacco. In each individual case, expert tobacco mixers determine that the liquid has the characteristic aroma of the original sample. When using maple sugar, the maple aroma is extracted in a satisfactory manner.

The process according to the invention is used on an industrial scale, the liquid obtained being sprayed onto the tobacco either after filtration or after centrifugation.

Example 2

In some cases it is impractical to spray the liquid directly onto the tobacco. Additives are often added to the tobacco in very small amounts, e.g. B. in an amount of 1 wt.% Added. In such a procedure, it is desirable to add the flavor substances in a more concentrated form. The yield of liquid is generally on an industrial scale from 80 to 85 percent by volume of the starting solution.

In separate studies, the liquid obtained (after centrifugation) is treated with a solvent (in this case with methylene chloride) using a conventional liquid-liquid extractor and a conventional stripping column. The extracted liquid is treated to remove the solvent at 40 ° C under reduced pressure.

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616 831

In the stripping column, the final yield of concentrate is 1.0 to 3.0 g / liter of the liquid obtained, while the yield in the liquid-liquid extraction is 2.0 to 6.0 g / liter. A difference in the profile of the aroma substances can also be determined, which, however, cannot be stated quantitatively 5. It is currently impossible to quantitatively describe such an aroma profile, so that one has to rely on the sense of smell of knowledgeable tobacco mixers.

The extracts produced in this way are used in amounts of less than 1% by weight to refine cigarette tobacco, and according to the experts, excellent results are achieved.

In some studies it is found that the taste and aroma profile can be changed by regulating the pH at which the extraction takes place. No quantitative information can be given for this either.

By fractionating the extract, it is possible to obtain further taste and aroma profiles. This fractionation is carried out, for example, by distillation and steam destination.

With the liquid produced in the manner described or with the extracts or fractions of extracts, it is possible to give tobacco products a new taste and aroma profile.

In addition, it is possible to imitate existing taste and aroma profiles without resorting to synthetic aroma substances. These tobacco flavorings can be incorporated into cigarettes if the starting tobacco lacks the flavor.

In this way, the use of foreign or synthetic substances can be largely reduced. The tobacco mixers can use self-made products from the tobacco plant to achieve a wide range of taste and aroma profiles.

Of course, this effect can be supported by using small amounts of flavors and aromas which are obtained from waste gases from fermentation processes. However, this should not usually be worthwhile for reasons of work and costs.

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Claims (11)

616 831 1. A process for refining tobacco masses, in each of which a different tobacco sample is fermented in an aqueous medium which has been admixed with a carbohydrate and a yeast which forms an alcohol, characterized in that material from the liquid medium obtained is used to refine the Tobacco mass used. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid obtained by the fermentation itself is used to refine the tobacco mass. 2nd PATENT CLAIMS 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that one uses an extract prepared from the liquid obtained to refine the tobacco mass. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that one uses an extract which has been prepared with the aid of a solvent with subsequent evaporation of the solvent. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that methylene chloride is used as solvent. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carbohydrate used is sucrose, glucose, fructose, mixtures of these carbohydrates or products containing these carbohydrates. 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one uses a sugar solution with a concentration of 15 to 25 weight percent. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one uses a yeast of the genus Sac-charomyces. 9. tobacco products which have been refined by the process according to claim 1. 10. tobacco products according to claim 9, which have been refined by the method according to claim 2. 11. tobacco products according to claim 9, which have been refined by the method according to any one of claims 3 to 5.